Afonydd Cymru is the umbrella body for rivers trusts in Wales. This policy covers the eligibility criteria for new rivers trusts to become members of Afonydd Cymru.
- The current geographic area of Wales is covered by the existing membership of Afonydd Cymru, therefore the primary criteria would be that the additional new rivers trust joined the membership with the approval and agreement of existing rivers trust members
- The new rivers trust would need to be approved by the Afonydd Cymru Board
- The new rivers trust would need to have the same charitable objectives as the existing rivers trust movement in Wales and support the charitable objectives of Afonydd Cymru
- All member organisations must have a formal constitution or articles of association which govern their working processes
- All member organisations must meet governance requirements in terms of their Board and trustees
Applications for membership would need to be made directly with the Chair of Afonydd Cymru. Applications can be made via email. The application would need to outline:
- How the proposed organisation meets the criteria detailed above
- How the applicant is constituted and is independent from any public or private sector, including outlining funding
- The organisation’s commitment to collaborative working on restoration of rivers in Wales
The Chair and CEO will assess the applications and identify any immediate queries or issues relating to the application. Following clarification of those, the application will be submitted to Afonydd Cymru Board for approval. Voting will be made on the basis of the published Afonydd Cymru voting rights, as outlined in our Memorandum of Articles available on the Charity Commission website.
The applicant will be advised of the decision within three months of the application. This aligns with Afonydd Cymru Board meeting dates.
Afonydd Cymru, April 2026